Creamy Lemony Shrimp Pasta

 photo by http://mor.sl/

Creamy Lemony Shrimp Pasta

original recipe: http://mor.sl/blog/2012/02/creamy-lemony-shrimp-pasta/

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1 serving angel hair or fettucine pasta
• juice of 1 1/2 lemons
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp butter
• dried oregano flakes (to taste)
• heavy cream (to taste)
• fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

Cook pasta per instructions on the box. While pasta water is boiling, in a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until lightly browned. Add shrimp, and cook 1-2 minutes. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and oregano. Cook for addition 2-3 minutes (until shrimp turn pink), and then lower heat and gently stir in desired amount of cream. Add black pepper and additional oregano to taste. Remove sauce from heat and add cooked/drained pasta noodles to pan. Stir until combined and serve.

Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars

 photo by http://www.lovintheoven.com

Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars Recipe

Here is the Pie Snickerdoodle bars recipe which i borrowed from Lovintheoven blog post. It's worth to try.

Ingredients:

Snickerdoodle layer:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pumpkin Pie Layer:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 stick butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

Topping

• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Drizzle

• 1 oz white chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan

To make snickerdoodle layer:

- Stir together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

To make pumpkin pie filling:

- In a mixer bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Pour over the snickerdoodle layer, smoothing out the top.

- Combine white sugar and cinnamon in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.

- Bake for 33-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely. They will deflate a bit and remain a bit pie-like on the top layer. The bars that are closer to the edges of the pan will be more firm.

- After the bars are completely cool, place the chopped white chocolate into a bowl or zip-lock bag and melt on low power. When it's completely melted, add the pumpkin pie spice and mix (or knead if using a zip lock bag). Use a spoon or cut a small corner off the bag and drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the bars and let it cool and harden.

- Store in a covered container.

original recipe: http://www.lovintheoven.com/2010/12/day-9-pumpkin-pie-snickerdoodle-bars.html

Millionaire Shortbread Tartelette

 photo credit: http://www.tarteletteblog.com

Millionaire Shortbread Tartelette

original recipe: http://www.tarteletteblog.com/2007/04/donna-hays-millionaire-shortbread.html

For the shortbread crust:

• 150g all purpose flour / 1.5 cups
• 100g brown sugar / 0.5cup
• 125g butter, melted / 1 stick plus 1 Tb

Mix the flour, sugar and melted butter. Spoon (or use your fingertips) the mixture into the bottom of the mini muffin tins. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the filling.

Caramel Filling:

• 130 gr. golden syrup / 1.5 cups (I used grade B maple syrup)
• 125 gr butter / 1 stick plus 1 Tb.
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 0z)

Combine the golden syrup, butter and condensed milkin a large saucepan and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until it thickens and takes on a golden color. Remove from the heat, let cool for a minute and divide among the tart shells. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache:

• 185 gr dark chocolate / 6.5 oz
• 1 Tb. vegetable oil

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or on top of a double boiler. Add the oil and mix well to combine. Spoon some over each tart shells and allow to set in the fridge.

Verdict: I doubled up on the quantities to make sure I had some for us and the girls at work tomorrow and I am glad I did. These disappeared while the host was pouring coffee. I am looking forward to making them again.